Page:CooperBull1(4).djvu/18

 BULLETIN OF THE COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 75, The Gopher Snake as a Despoiler of Ouails' Nests. The question of what part the common spot- ted gopher-snake plays in the economy of nature has arisen frequently in my mind, and until receutly I had accepted the prevalent opiniou that he was 'harmless." The follow- ing four observations, however, have cou- vincedme that he is a bad citizen. The Valley Partridge is a very conHuon bird on the Stan- for d ranch, due to the protectiou from hunters the year round. I have often heard the old birds during breeding time giviug the alarm notes for several miuutes. They were gener- ally perched in the trees and I ascribed their fear to my approach. May 29---1 came upon a pair of partridges in a low tree giving notes of great alarm. I thought at first that a flock of newly hatched chicks might be near and couHneuced to look for them. Pulliug aside the branches of a low .shrub, there was disclosed a nest of eight eggs and a large gopher snake with four knots iu his body, which, when pressed, flattened ont. I watched him a morncut and he swallowed an egg. I killed him and ripped him open. In- side were four eggs unbrokeu and material for at least two illore. May 3.--Another pair of excited birds at- tracted my atteutiou and after an hour's search I fouud another uest o twelve eggs and an- other snake with oue lump in his body. I killed him instantly. June 5.--Still auother excited partridge household and the same cause discovered after search. This time I tried draggiug the robber away, to ascertain how auxious he was to con- tiuue his meal. He would return after being taken away teu paces. I killed him and cut him opeu. He had swallowed at least oue egg which was well along iu incubation. June 22.--This time a flutter aud a struggle iu the shrubbery attracted my atteutiou. It was the female trying to drive the snake away. Being in a hurry I carried the sqake about fifty yards down the path and put him down. He started off iu the direction of the uest aud when I returned an hour later he was gulping down an egg. There was a lump iu kim well down toward the cud of the abdomen, and I regretted after havin'g killed him that I did not bring him home and see if he was able to di- gest an egg with the shell on. -. THODO J. HoovEa. Stanford University, June 22, '99 Taking of a Condor's [gg. On April 7, 899, au egg of the California Condor was taken in San Roque canon, near Santa Barbara, by F. Ruiz, a surveyor in the employ of the Pacific Improvement Co., who, With a party, was doing 'some work in the canou. His attention was first attracted by seeing a pair of the birds flying about the cauon, and it occurred to him that there might possibly be a nest in the vicinity. Acting on this supposition he and a companion named Forbush proceeded up the canon, and finally noticed a cave on a high cliff some x5o feet a- bove the creek, which they mauaged to reach after considerable difficulty. From the top Ruiz was enabled to look over the edge a short distauce iutothe cave, where he saw the egg ou the floor of the cave, with one of the birds crouched on the ground beside the nest, which consisted of a few sticks of brush and some sand which had evidently blown into the cave from the edge of the cliff. Mr. Ruiz states that the bird remained iu this position until he had thrown several rocks at it, one of which either hit the bird or came close enough to nmke it take flight when it proceeded down the canon. At considerable risk, Ruiz theu clambered down into the cave without the aid of a rope or .other assistance, save what the brush afforded, his companion tenmining on the cliff to give him warning in event ofauy hostility on the part of the dis- turbed condor. While securing the egg he was told that the bird was returuing and as he was retreating up the cliff with the prize he noticed both birds on the wing, and to use his own words, "fightlug and quarreling in the air." They did uot attempt any attack, but followed the men about for a considerable time before taking leave. The egg was per- fectly fresh and measured 4 3 -xo x 2 6-o in- ches aud was a trifle deeper in color than those I have seeu illustrated. A young condor (a "yearling," I suppose) was shot in the same canou about two mouths ago. A. P. REDINGTON. Santa Barbara, Cal., May , '99. JOHN M. WELCH, Henry W. Cartiger and C. Barlow spent a week iI the Sierras of E1 Do- rado Co., Cal., early in June and had a most enjoyable outing. Nmnerous photographs were taken and Mr. Cartiger carried away the ouly set of Hermit Warbler reported for the season.